Dehydrating and reclosable hinged plug-lid with tamper indicator and compensation device

ABSTRACT

The invention is a dehydrating and reclosable hinged plug-lid that includes a dehydrating agent, a fixation mechanical system provided between the occlusion element and the open end of the tubular container, a tamper indicator, a compensation device for preserving the conditioned products provided inside the occlusion element and secured to said occlusion element, wherein said compensation device consists of a hollow device having an essentially conical, frusto-conical, polyhedral, frusto-polyhedral apparent shape with a large annular base and a small annular base parallel to the large base, the small base in contact with the conditioned products being coaxial and connected to the large base by at least one linking element that can be deformed under the action of a mechanical pressure and that can recover its initial shape when said pressure is no longer applied.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a dehydrating and reclosable hinged plug-lidwith a tamper indicator and a particular compensation device, fitting onto a tubular container for the conditioning, in a controlled atmosphere,of moisture-sensitive products.

Such moisture-sensitive products to be conditioned are generallyproducts such as, for example, products of the pharmaceutical, cosmetic,food, veterinary, diagnostic and other types.

More precisely, the invention relates to a dehydrating and reclosablehinged plug-lid with a tamper indicator and a compensation device,constituting the reclosable means for occlusion of the open end of thecontainer, said plug-lid being connected to the body of the container bya link of the hinge type associated with a ring secured to saidcontainer and having a tamper indicator placed between the plug-lid andsaid ring press-inserted on to the container at the time of its finalclosure after it has been filled.

When the container is opened for the first time by the user, this tamperindicator makes it possible to note that said container has not beenopened after its filling by the pharmaceutical laboratory, thus ensuringthe physical integrity of the protective packaging guaranteeing thequalitative and quantitative authenticity of the product contained.

More precisely, the invention relates to a dehydrating and reclosablehinged plug-lid with a tamper indicator and a compensation device, saidcompensation device making it possible to exert a mechanical pressure,through a spring action on the stored products, in particularpharmaceuticals, in the form of, more specifically, lozenges, cachets ortablets.

PRIOR ART

Many dehydrating plugs with a compensation device and a tamper indicatorhave been produced and are amply described in the patent literature.They are of the plug type, being press-fitted into the open end of agenerally cylindrical container, thus providing the functions ofdehydration and holding in position of the upper tablets positioned inthe full or substantially full container, by means of a compensationdevice having the form of a spring or spiral. Thus said tablets can nolonger move unintendedly inside the container during transport. The riskof mechanical damage of said tablets is thus avoided. However, suchphysical holding can be implemented only on a substantially fullcontainer. In order that the spring action of the compensation spiralcan be exerted, it is important that the spacing region between theupper surface of the tablet and the lower surface of said compensationspiral in contact with the upper surface of the tablet to be held inposition is smaller in height than the height of said compensationspiral.

Thus for example the document DE9203763 (GAPLAST) describes an absorbentplug that is inserted into the open end of a cylindrical container, witha view to closing it in a sealed manner. Such a plug comprises a ringthat is press-fixed permanently on the upper outer end of the container,once the latter has been filled. This ring acts as a tamper indicatorthrough the presence of divisible bridges situated between the upperpart of said ring and the adjacent lower part of said plug. Thesedivisible bridges are broken when the container is opened for the firsttime.

The dehydrating plug also comprises a chamber containing the dehydratingmaterial. The dehydrating plug also comprises a compensation springelement of the cylindrical spiral type, of monolithic design, that is tosay injected at the same time as the dehydrating plug.

Another document, DE8337183U (SANNER GMBH), also describes an absorbentplug that is inserted into the open end of a cylindrical container. Suchan absorbent plug comprises a tamper indicator consisting of a collarequipped with a double set of divisible bridges, positioned between thelower ring and the plug. When the plug is opened for the first time, theintermediate collar is detached from the assembly by means of breakingof the upper bridges attaching it to the plug and breaking of the lowerbridges attaching it to the ring fixed on the upper end of the body ofthe container. Such a plug moreover comprises a compensation springelement, also of monolithic design.

These plugs available in the prior art are not, however, provided with ahinge attaching them to the container and can, consequently, be easilylost by the user.

This is why another design is essential providing this additionalreclosable hinged plug-lid function. In particular, the documentEP1352844 (CSP) describes packaging that it is possible to reclose,protecting the products thus conditioned from moisture, comprising acontainer and a plug-lid, connected by an integral hinge and equippedwith a spring element, attached to the internal part of the plug-lid,and a desiccant material held by the spring element.

This spring element, manufactured separately from the container and theplug-lid, is assembled on the bottom of said plug-lid and contains asachet of desiccant.

The plug-lid described in this document has a hinge which is not securedto a ring fixed on the container but is directly secured to thecontainer, the plug-lid, the hinge and the container being moulded in asingle operation. Such a hinge is referred to as an integral hinge.

Such a design of container and plug-lid with integral hinge is moredifficult to manufacture at the high rates of the packaging industry,unlike manufacturing being carried out in two perfectly cylindricalcomponents, a tubular container on the one hand, and a plug-lid on theother hand, which is easier to implement on multiple-cavity moulds.

Moreover, this compensation spring element cannot have a large heightsince said element then interferes with the edge of the container,through its cylindrical shape, during closure of the container byrotation of the plug-lid around the axis of its hinge.

Thus the prior art shows that containers closed by a plug without ahinge can be provided simultaneously with a reserve of desiccantpositioned in the plug, a tamper indicator and a cylindricalcompensation spring of suitable size.

However the prior art also reveals that it is practically impossible toequip this type of container comprising the aforementioned means, namelya desiccant, a tamper indicator and a cylindrical compensation element,as soon as an attempt is made to replace a plug of the plug-in type witha hinged plug-lid, when the latter comprises a desiccant reservechamber. This is because the cylindrical or frusto-conical compensationelement of the hinged plug-lid, when said plug-lid is providedtherewith, hits the edge of the container, through its minimum heightnecessary for its mechanical compensation action.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There is therefore a technical problem posed and not solved, which isthat of not being able to produce a container equipped with a hingedplug-lid, provided with a desiccant reserve chamber, a tamper indicatorand also comprising a compensation device, with a minimum heightsufficient for its mechanical compensation action, this device havingthe ability to deform under pressure and regain its shape when released.

Another problem posed to the designer is also of solving all or some ofthe drawbacks mentioned previously and thus constituting a significantimprovement compared with the prior art.

Consequently, the invention relates to a dehydrating and reclosablehinged plug-lid, that closes a container for conditioningmoisture-sensitive products, also having a tamper indicator andcomprising a compensation means with a geometry lying within animaginary volume and therefore of apparent shape such that:

-   -   it can allow the passage of said compensation means into the        open space of the container during rotation of the plug-lid        around the axis consisting of the hinge connecting the plug-lid        to the tubular container while the plug-lid is equipped with its        compensator and its housing containing the desiccant;    -   it is sufficiently efficient in terms of spring action, that is        to say said compensation means indeed comes, through its        mechanical action, to rest on the conditioned products in order        to inhibit the vertical movement thereof.

The plug-lid according to the invention provides a solution to atechnical problem posed and not solved in the prior art, which is thatof being able to equip a container with a hinged plug-lid comprisingboth a compensation means and a dehydrating element in the body of theplug-lid.

Consequently, the invention relates to a dehydrating and reclosablehinged plug-lid, constituting the means for sealed occlusion of the openend of a tubular container for the conditioning of moisture-sensitiveproducts, moreover comprising

-   -   a dehydrating means,    -   a fixing means placed between the occlusion means and the open        end of the tubular container,    -   a tamper indicator,    -   a compensation means for holding the conditioned products,        positioned inside the occlusion means and secured to said        occlusion means,        characterised in that said compensation means is a hollow device        having an essentially conical, frusto-conical, polyhedral or        frusto-polyhedral apparent shape, consisting of a large annular        base and a small base parallel to the large base, this small        base in contact with the packaged products being coaxial and        connected to the large base by at least one linking means that        can be deformed under the action of a mechanical pressure and        that can recover its initial shape when said pressure is no        longer applied.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Thus, according to the invention, the dehydrating and reclosable hingedplug-lid with a tamper indicator and a compensation device constitutesthe means for sealed occlusion of the open end of the tubular containerin which the products to be protected are conditioned and comprises adehydrating means, a fixing means placed between the occlusion means andthe open end of the container so as to secure the assembly comprisingplug-lid and container, a hinge making it possible to connect theocclusion means to the fixing means and to open and reclose thiscontainer, a tamper indicator having the ability to visually indicatethe first opening of said container and a compensation means making itpossible to keep the conditioned products under a mechanical pressure.

This dehydrating and reclosable hinged plug-lid with a tamper indicatorand a compensation device, for conditioning moisture-sensitive products:

-   -   constitutes the means for sealed occlusion of the open end of a        tubular container, forming the product conditioning area, closed        at one of its ends by a bottom and open at the other,    -   and moreover comprises:        -   a dehydrating means placed on the part of the occlusion            means internal to the container;        -   a fixing means placed between the occlusion means and the            open end of the tubular container, mechanically engaging            irreversibly on said container, at the time of its final            closure after it has been filled;        -   a hinge making it possible to connect the occlusion means to            the fixing means;        -   a tamper indicator having the ability to visually indicate            the first opening of said container equipped with its            plug-lid;        -   a compensation means making it possible to keep the            conditioned products under a mechanical pressure with a view            to avoiding the risk of having said products, before use,            move unintendedly inside the container during transport,            this compensation means having a specific shape, being            positioned inside the occlusion means and secured to said            occlusion means.

The Occlusion Means:

The container is closed with the occlusion means that is the plug-lidtype plug according to the invention, connected to the body of thecontainer by means of a hinge itself secured to the body of thecontainer by means of a fixing means, for example, of fixing ring type.

This means for occluding the open end of the container is a plug-lidcoaxial with the container consisting of an upper end wall constitutingsaid plug-lid and two peripheral walls coaxial with the axis of theplug-lid forming between them a deep peripheral groove whereof the wallsare a distance apart from one another in order, when said occlusionmeans is closed, to cover the peripheral wall of the open end of thecontainer so that a sealed and close contact is established between:

-   -   the bottom of the groove and the peripheral rim of the open end        of the container;    -   the inner surface of the inner wall of said groove and the inner        surface of the open end of the container;    -   the inner surface of the outer coaxial wall of the groove and        the outer surface of the open end of the container.

An external peripheral limit stop of the collar type can be createdclose to the open end of the container on which the occlusion means cancome to rest in the closed position.

Any means allowing the creation of sufficient, perhaps even reinforced,sealing between the body of the container and the plug-lid is possiblewithin the scope of the invention. Thus, for example, an architecture ofplug-lid with deep peripheral groove, allowing sealed covering by meansof three peripheral areas of surface-to-surface contact with the openend of the enclosure, provides the sought-after sealing by closesurface-to-surface contact, upon closure of the plug-lid.

In order to keep the plug-lid in the closed position, the inner face ofthe outer wall of the groove and the outer face of the outer wall of theenclosure can be provided with a latching means, requiring a mechanicalforce both for completing the closure of the plug-lid and for openingit.

In order to facilitate the operation for opening and closing theplug-lid, the flat lower edge of the outer wall of the groove can beextended by a gripping rim or have a recessed tab.

This rim-type protuberance or this tab-type recess make it possible toopen the plug-lid more easily, in general with just one hand, and makeit pivot around the axis of the hinge. They also make it possible toexert a lifting force sufficient to break the divisible bridges of thetamper indicator.

The Dehydrating Means:

The dehydrating plug-lid according to the invention comprises amoisture-absorbing means of added-on type.

The dehydrating agent is placed in a suitable housing, situated on thebottom of the plug-lid, said housing being closed by a closure means notsealed against ambient moisture, for example a porous cardboardmembrane, in order to provide rapid desiccation of themoisture-sensitive products conditioned in the dehydrating container.The dehydrating agent used in the housing is chosen from the groupconstituted by silica gels, molecular sieves or other dehydratingproducts, available in powder form or deposited on a powdery support.

The dehydrating agent can also be a capsule contained in said housingand made from a dehydrating polymer material containing or notcontaining dehydrating fillers.

The Fixing Means:

A fixing means is placed between the occlusion means and the open end ofthe container so as to secure the assembly comprising plug-lid andcontainer.

This fixing means can be of ring, collar or fixing loop type or be anymechanical system fixing said plug-lid to the tubular container.

The fixing means is secured to the container by press-fitting, clipping,gluing or welding. In a preferential configuration, this fixing means issecured to the container by clipping, that is to say press-fitting in asuitable groove upon final closure of the container after it has beenfilled.

The geometry of the groove is such that this fixing ring cannot bedetached from the container once it has been put in place by pressureupon final closure of the container after it has been filled. Thegeometry is that of an undercut shape, playing on the relativepossibility of deformation of the ring, equipped for its force-fittingwith a circular chamfer.

The Hinge:

The physical link between the container, by means of the fixing means(the fixing ring), and the occlusion means which is a plug-lid, ispreferentially an integral hinge, that is to say one moulded at the sametime and in the same material as the plug-lid and the fixing ring to besecured to the body of the container. This integral hinge can be of filmtype or ribbon type.

A detachable mechanical hinge, providing closure accuracy, can also beconsidered but has as a drawback the fact of constituting an additionalcomponent, whereas this assembly comprising plug-lid, hinge, fixing ringand tamper indicator is single-piece and therefore manufactured in asingle operation and in the same material.

This is because, in the case of a detachable rigid mechanical typehinge, this is formed from two parts, one integrated with the fixingring that is fitted onto the container, the other integrated with theocclusion means.

The Tamper Indicator:

According to the invention, the plug-lid, secured to the conditioningcontainer, once the fixing ring has been press-fitted, is effectivelyequipped with a tamper indicator, also referred to as a first-openingindicator, positioned between said ring secured to the container andsaid plug-lid. This tamper indicator, or inviolability means, is formedby micro-links connecting all or part of the lower peripheral surface ofthe plug-lid to all or part of the upper peripheral surface of thefixing collar or ring or else to any coupling system such as a loopfixing the lid on to the body of the container or secured to the body ofthe container.

These micro-links or divisible bridges are connecting micro-points,independent of each other but forming a perimeter or a single toothedarea of connection between the plug-lid, that can be moved around itshinge and is reclosable once these links have been broken, and the ringor collar or the system fixing said plug-lid to the body of thecontainer.

These micro-points are broken upon first opening by the application of abreaking force exerted on the plug-lid in the vertical direction upwardsif a single connection by micro-points between the fixing collar or ringsecured to the container and the plug-lid is concerned, or else in thehorizontal direction by a circular pulling movement if a double row ofbreakage points of an intermediate collar between the fixing means andthe plug-lid is concerned.

The first user performs this act and thus knows that he is indeed thefirst user. He can easily note whether said connection by micro-pointsis still present and intact or not.

The Compensation Means:

According to the invention, the plug-lid comprises a compensation meansconstituted by a hollow compensation device having an essentiallyconical, frusto-conical, polyhedral or frusto-polyhedral apparent shape,consisting of a large annular base and a small base parallel to thelarge base, which is coaxial therewith and is connected thereto by atleast one deformable linking means having the ability to recover itsinitial shape, the small base being in contact with the packagedproducts. This compensation device positioned inside the occlusion meansis secured to said occlusion means and has sufficient height for itsmechanical compensation action to be exerted effectively.

This compensation device has an apparent shape such that its end incontact with the packaged products is substantially smaller in size thanits end connected to the lower part of the plug-lid, thus enabling it tonot interfere with the upper opening area of the tubular containerduring opening and closing of the plug-lid, once this has beenpermanently fixed on the container after filling.

More precisely, the ratio of the diameters of the part of thecompensation device in contact with the packaged product, on which thismechanical compensation is exerted, that is to say the small base, andthe end of the device connected to the lower part of the plug-lid, thatis to say its large base, varies between 0.05 and 0.9 and preferentiallybetween 0.1 and 0.6.

More precisely also, the angle at the top of the compensation devicelies in the variation interval ranging from 30° to 120°.

Within the context of the aforementioned ratio:

-   -   when the apparent shapes are conical or frusto-conical, the        small base and large base are circular and their diameters are        real;    -   when the apparent shapes are polyhedral or frusto-polyhedral,        the small base can be polygonal and leads to the measurement of        an apparent diameter or circular with a real diameter, the large        base always being circular with a real diameter.

The apparent shape of the compensation device, that is to say theimaginary volume in which said device is contained, that is to say itssteric size, can be conical, frusto-conical, polyhedral orfrusto-polyhedral.

When the imaginary volume is conical or frusto-conical, the at least onedeformable linking means connecting the large base to the small base isan imaginary generator. The compensation device, when contained in aconical or frusto-conical imaginary volume, can comprise severaldeformable linking means, 2, 3, 4 or more in number and disposed aroundthe axis preferentially symmetrically.

When the imaginary volume is polyhedral or frusto-polyhedral, one of theedges is constituted by the at least one real deformable linking means,connecting the large base to the small base, the other edges beingimaginary. In particular, the polyhedral or frusto-polyhedral imaginaryvolume that comprises at minimum three lateral surfaces consequentlycomprises three real edges constituted by three deformable linkingmeans. The same applies for 4 faces, 5 faces or 6 faces.

Such an imaginary volume thus allows the compensation device to notinterfere, by this end of restricted size (its small base), with theupper opening area of the tubular container, during opening and closingof the plug-lid, once this has been permanently fixed on the containerafter filling.

This solution, which consists of modifying the apparent shape of thecompensation device in order to avoid the device interfering with theupper edge of the tubular container during opening and closing of theplug-lid, is particularly advantageous.

The deformable means for linking the large base to the small base can be

-   -   at least one deformable helix winding on an imaginary cone and        coaxial with the axis of the device, and appearing as a        frusto-conical or conical spring or    -   at least one deformable strip appearing as one of the edges of        the faces of the imaginary polyhedron in which the device lies        or belonging to the imaginary surface of a cone or a truncated        cone.

When the compensation device has a conical or frusto-conical apparentshape, the at least one deformable linking means is formed by at leastone helix and preferentially two helices with directions that areopposite or not, distributed regularly in space. This at least one helixis connected, by its lower end, to the large, preferentially circular,base secured to the lower part of the plug-lid. This at least one helixis also connected, by its upper end, to the small, preferentiallycircular, base that is very small in size in physical contact with theconditioned product.

The cross-section of this at least one helix can be circular orpolygonal.

The shape of the compensation device appears as substantially conical,lying within a conical imaginary volume. Said device thus ensures,through its ability to be compressed position-wise and through itsspring action, that the conditioned products are held in position.

Other forms of helix can be considered such as, for example, heliceswith a counter direction of rotation or having a shape that is notstrictly conical but slightly rhomboid.

When the compensation device has a polyhedral apparent shape, the atleast one deformable linking means is formed by at least one strip andpreferentially two strips, opposite or regularly distributed in space,this at least one strip being connected, by its lower end, to a large,preferentially circular, base that is fixed to the lower part of theplug-lid and by its upper end to the small polygonal or circular basethat is very small in size in physical contact with the conditionedproduct.

The shape of the compensation device appears as substantiallypolyhedral, lying within a polyhedral imaginary volume.

Said device thus ensures, through its ability to be compressedposition-wise and through its spring action, that the conditionedproducts are held in position. The cross-section of the strips issufficiently thin, whether circular or polygonal, for said strips to beable to deform reversibly, under the action of the pressure exerted onsaid strips during closure of the filled container.

The spring action remains intact over time provided that thedeformations remain within the range of reversible elastic deformationsand that there is no creep of the constituent materials of thecompensation device. The pressure exerted on the conditioned product bythe compensation device remains unchanged.

Said compensation device is assembled by its large base, on the lowerpart of the housing containing the desiccant and preferentially on theinternal lower part of said housing, by an assembly means.

Said assembly means is preferentially chosen from amongst the techniquesof clipping, riveting, crimping, press-fitting, gluing and welding.

Said compensation device can also be connected, by its large base, to acylindrical skirt whereof the other end terminates with a collar thusextending the device in order to allow it to be assembled by clipping,riveting, crimping, press-fitting, gluing or welding, not on the lowerpart of the housing containing the desiccant but on the bottom of theplug-lid, the collar being for example press-fitted into a suitablecircular housing, which can be a groove, positioned in the bottom ofsaid plug-lid.

Said compensation device, with its conical or polyhedral apparent shapethat is deformable but with initial shape memory, still retains itsfunction of compensator with spring action.

According to the invention, the device constitutes a separate component,injected separately from the plug-lid, and then assembled with saidplug-lid. The mounting of the compensation device is performed after thehousing containing the desiccant has been filled and then closed by itsmoisture-porous membrane, which simplifies this filling and closureoperation and enables it to be automated easily. The compensation deviceis also assembled with the plug-lid filled with its desiccant in anautomated mounting operation.

The compensation device according to the invention can also bemanufactured in a material different from that used for manufacturingthe plug-lid in order to give it specific “spring” properties.

It is consequently possible to equip a container with the aforementionedmeans, that is to say a dehydrating and reclosable hinged plug-lid withtamper indicator with a compensation device, without this device hittingthe edge of the container, through its minimum height necessary for itsmechanical compensation action.

The Polymer Materials:

The polymer materials desirable for producing the plug-lid are generallyand non-exclusively chosen from the group of materials consisting ofthermoplastic polymers, comprising in particular polyolefin homopolymersand/or copolymers such as polyethylenes, polypropylenes and copolymersof ethylene/propylene used alone or in a mixture, formulated or not.

Other thermoplastic materials can also be used such as polyamides (PA),polystyrenes (PS), copolymers of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS),copolymers of styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN), polymethyl methacrylates(PMMA), polyethylene terephthalates (PET), polybutylene terephthalates(PBT), polyacetals (POM), polyvinyl chlorides (PVC) and polycarbonates(PC).

Mono-olefin elastomers such as, for example, polymers ofisobutylene/isoprene, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), ethylene propylene(EPR), ethylene propylene diene (EPDM), acrylic ethylene esters(EMA/EEA), fluorinated polymers, diolefin rubbers, such as, for example,polybutadiene, copolymers of butadiene-styrene (SBR), rubbers based oncondensation products such as, for example, polyester and polyurethanethermoplastic rubbers, silicones, styrenic rubbers, such as styrenebutadiene styrene (SBS), styrene isoprene styrenes (SIS), styreneethylene butadiene styrenes (SEBS) and other block copolymers, usedalone or in a mixture, formulated or not, can also be used.

The polymer materials desirable for producing the compensation devicecan be chosen from amongst those aforementioned with however a concernfor a modulus of rigidity higher than for those adopted for the plug-lidwhich has to provide a function of sealing with the container.

The method of producing the plug-lid and the compensation device ispreferentially that of thermoplastic injection moulding.

The container equipped with its plug-lid according to the invention isintended for conditioning solid products such as those of lozenge ortablet type that are moisture-sensitive and have to be held in positionin order to avoid the risk of damage by mechanical action.

The invention will be better understood by means of the description,with reference numbers, of the figures mentioned below, these figureshaving only an illustrative and non-limiting nature, of a particularplug-lid of the invention.

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a plug-lid mounted on a container,equipped with its compensation device of pyramidal apparent shape, inthe open position;

FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of a plug-lid mounted on a container,equipped with its compensation device of pyramidal apparent shape, inthe closed position, said compensation device resting on the conditionedproduct;

FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view from underneath of the plug-lidseparated from its compensation device of pyramidal apparent shape;

FIG. 4 depicts a perspective view of a plug-lid mounted on a container,equipped with its compensation device of conical apparent shape, in theopen position;

FIG. 5 depicts a perspective view of a plug-lid mounted on a container,equipped with its compensation device of conical apparent shape, in theclosed position, said compensation device resting on the conditionedproduct;

FIG. 6 depicts a perspective view from underneath of the plug-lidseparated from its compensation device of conical apparent shape;

FIG. 7 depicts a perspective view of a compensation device of conicalapparent shape, having a skirt enabling it to be mounted by clippingonto the bottom of the plug-lid;

FIG. 8 depicts a perspective view of a plug-lid mounted on a container,in the open position, but separated from its compensation device ofconical apparent shape, having a skirt as depicted in FIG. 7.

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a plug-lid (1) according to theinvention, mounted on a container (2), equipped with its compensationdevice (3) of pyramidal apparent shape, in the open position.

The plug-lid (1) according to the invention comprises:

-   -   a means (4) of sealed occlusion of the open end of a tubular        container (2), constituting the conditioning area for stacked        products (20), said occlusion means also comprising a gripping        tab (16) intended to facilitate the opening of the plug-lid,    -   a dehydrating means (5) placed on the part of the occlusion        means (4) internal to the container, which is a housing (6) in        which a desiccant (7) is placed, said housing being closed by a        moisture-porous membrane (8);    -   a fixing means (9) placed between the occlusion means (4) and        the open end of the tubular container (2), mechanically engaging        irreversibly on said container (2), at the time of its final        closure after it has been filled;    -   a hinge (10) making it possible to connect the occlusion means        (4) to the fixing means (9);    -   a tamper indicator (11) having the ability to visually indicate        the first opening of said container equipped with its plug-lid        (1), said tamper indicator being constituted by divisible        bridges (12) positioned between the fixing ring type fixing        means (9) and the occlusion means (4);    -   a compensation means (3), that is to say the compensation device        making it possible to keep the conditioned products (20) under a        mechanical pressure with a view to avoiding the risk of having        said stacked products, before use, move unintendedly inside the        container during transport.

FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of a plug-lid (1) mounted on acontainer (2), equipped with its compensation device (3) of pyramidalapparent shape, in the closed position, said compensation device (3)resting on the conditioned product (20).

FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view from underneath of the plug-lid (1)separated from its compensation device (3) of pyramidal apparent shape.Said compensation device (3) comprises four opposing strips (13)distributed regularly in space, connected at their lower ends to a largecircular base (14) connected to the lower part of the plug-lid and attheir upper end to a small circular base of very small size (15) inphysical contact with the conditioned product.

FIG. 4 depicts a perspective view of a plug-lid (1) mounted on acontainer (2), equipped with its compensation device (3) of conicalapparent shape, in the open position. The difference compared with FIG.1 lies in the conical and not polyhedral apparent shape of thecompensation device.

FIG. 5 depicts a perspective view of a plug-lid (1) mounted on acontainer (2), equipped with its compensation device (3) of conicalapparent shape, in the closed position, said compensation device restingon the conditioned product (20). The difference compared to FIG. 2 liesin the shape of the compensation device, of conical configuration.

FIG. 6 depicts a perspective view from underneath of the plug-lid (1)separated from its compensation device (3) of conical apparent shape.Said compensation device (3) comprises three spirals (13) regularlydistributed in space, connected at their lower ends to a large circularbase (14) connected to the lower part of the plug-lid (1) and at theirupper end to a small circular base of very small size (15) in physicalcontact with the conditioned product.

FIG. 7 depicts a perspective view of a compensation device of conicalapparent shape, having a skirt allowing it to be mounted by clipping atthe bottom of the plug-lid. Said compensation device (3) comprises threespirals (13) regularly distributed in space, connected at their lowerends to a large circular base (14), itself connected to the lower partof the plug-lid (1) by means of a cylindrical skirt (16) and a circularcollar (17) and at their upper end to a small circular base of verysmall size (15) in physical contact with the conditioned product. Thecircular collar (17) clips into a suitable circular housing positionedat the bottom of the plug-lid.

FIG. 8 depicts a perspective view of a plug-lid (1) mounted on acontainer (2), in the open position but separated from its compensationdevice (3) of conical apparent shape, having a skirt (16), with a collar(17).

1. Dehydrating and reclosable hinged plug-lid, constituting a system forsealed occlusion of an open end of a tubular container for theconditioning of moisture-sensitive products, comprising a dehydratingagent, a fixing mechanical system placed between an occlusion elementand the open end of the tubular container, a tamper indicator, acompensation device for holding the conditioned products, positionedinside the occlusion element and secured to said occlusion element,characterised in that said compensation device comprises a hollow devicehaving an essentially conical, frusto-conical, polyhedral orfrusto-polyhedral apparent shape, comprising a large annular base and asmall base parallel to the large base, this small base, in contact withthe products, being coaxial and connected to the large base by at leastone linking element that can be deformed under the action of amechanical pressure and that can recover its initial shape when saidpressure is no longer applied.
 2. Plug-lid according to claim 1,characterised in that the ratio of the diameters of the part of thecompensation device in contact with the product, that is to say itssmall base, and the end of said device connected to the lower part ofthe plug-lid, that is to say its large base, varies between 0.05 and0.9.
 3. Plug-lid according to claim 1, characterised in that thecompensation device has an angle at the its top lying in an intervalfrom 30° to 120°.
 4. Plug-lid according to claim 1, characterised inthat the at least one linking element of the compensation device isselected from: at least one deformable helix winding on an imaginarycone and coaxial with an axis of the device, and appearing as afrusto-conical or conical spring, and at least one deformable stripappearing as one of the edges of faces of an imaginary polyhedron inwhich the device lies or belonging to an imaginary surface of a cone ora truncated cone.
 5. Plug-lid according to claim 4, characterised inthat the at least one deformable linking element of the compensationdevice comprises at least one helix.
 6. Plug-lid according to claim 4,characterised in that the at least one deformable linking element of thecompensation device is preferentially formed by at least two heliceswith directions that are opposite and distributed regularly in space. 7.Plug-lid according to claim 4, characterised in that the at least onedeformable linking element of the compensation device comprises at leastone strip.
 8. Plug-lid according to claim 4, characterised in that theat least one linking element of the compensation device comprises atleast two strips, opposite or regularly distributed in space. 9.Plug-lid according to claim 1, characterised in that the compensationdevice is assembled by its large base, on the lower part of the housingcontaining a desiccant, by an assembly system.
 10. Plug-lid according toclaim 9, characterised in that the compensation device is, by means of askirt and collar extending its large base, assembled on the bottom ofthe plug-lid by the assembly system.
 11. Plug-lid according to claim 9,characterised in that the assembly system is selected from the groupconsisting of clipping, riveting, crimping, press-fitting, gluing andwelding.
 12. Plug-lid according to claim 1, characterised in that thecompensation device is produced by injection moulding, usingthermoplastic polymer materials.
 13. Plug-lid according to claim 12,characterised in that the thermoplastic polymer materials are chosenfrom the group consisting of polyolefin homopolymers and copolymers,polyamides (PA), polystyrenes (PS), copolymers ofacrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), copolymers ofstyrene-acrylonitrile (SAN), polymethyl methacrylates (PMMA),polyethylene terephthalates (PET), polybutylene terephthalates (PBT),polyacetals (POM), polyvinyl chlorides (PVC) and polycarbonates (PC).14. Plug-lid according to claim 12, characterised in that thethermoplastic polymer materials are chosen from the group consisting ofmono-olefin elastomers such as polymers of isobutylene/isoprene,ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), ethylene propylene (EPR), ethylenepropylene diene (EPDM), acrylic ethylene esters (EMA/EEA), fluorinatedpolymers, diolefin rubbers, such as polybutadiene, copolymers ofbutadiene-styrene (SBR), rubbers based on condensation products such aspolyester and polyurethane thermoplastic rubbers, silicones, styrenicrubbers, such as styrene butadiene styrene (SBS), styrene isoprenestyrenes (SIS), styrene ethylene butadiene styrenes (SEBS) and otherblock copolymers, used alone or in a mixture, formulated or not. 15.Plug-lid according to claim 1, characterised in that the dehydratingagent comprises a housing present on the bottom of the plug-lid, saidhousing containing a dehydrating material chosen from the groupconstituted by silica gels, molecular sieves and dehydrating productsavailable in powder form or deposited on a powdery support or containinga capsule made from a dehydrating polymer material containing or notcontaining dehydrating fillers.
 16. Plug-lid according to claim 1,characterised in that the fixing mechanical system placed between theocclusion element and the open end of the container is selected from thegroup consisting of a ring, collar and loop.
 17. Plug-lid according toclaim 16, characterised in that the fixing element is secured to thecontainer by a system selected from the group consisting ofpress-fitting, clipping, gluing and welding.
 18. Plug-lid according toclaim 1, characterised in that the tamper indicator is formed bymicro-links connecting all or part of a lower peripheral surface of theplug-lid to all or part of an upper peripheral surface of a fixing ring,collar or loop.
 19. Plug-lid according to claim 1 further comprising ahinge of integral or mechanical type.
 20. (canceled)